Huevos motuleños – fried eggs with beans, peas and banana Recipe
Huevos motuleños is a breakfast from the Yucatán Peninsula that looks like a little feast on a plate. On a crispy tortilla you get a layer of bean paste, a fried egg, vegetables, cheese and surprisingly well‑matched slices of fried banana. This breakfast feels more like a colorful brunch than an ordinary plate of scrambled eggs.
Huevos motuleños is one of those breakfasts that people in Yucatán order “all out” when they want to start the day like a little fiesta. Savory bean paste, a delicate fried egg, fresh tomatoes and peas collide with the caramel sweetness of fried banana – a combination that sounds odd but tastes absolutely right. The crispy tortilla base makes it feel like a breakfast tostada, only juicier and more substantial.
Chef's tips
Mash the beans gradually, adding water literally a tablespoon at a time – the paste should be as thick as hummus, not dry like mashed potatoes. Fry the banana over medium, not high heat, so it has time to lightly caramelize instead of burning black in a few seconds. Crack the eggs into well‑heated fat and make sure the whites are fully set while the yolks stay runny – the yolk becomes the sauce that ties all the layers together.
How to serve
Serve this dish on a weekend when you have time to sit down with a mug of black coffee or strong cold brew – the bitterness of the coffee balances the sweetness of the banana beautifully. If you’re serving huevos motuleños as a late brunch, add a simple cucumber and lime salad and a few slices of avocado. For a get‑together with friends, put everything on the table family‑style: tortillas, beans, eggs and toppings separately, so everyone can build their own version.
Ingredients
- corn tortilla - 4 piece
- eggs - 4 piece
- red beans cooked or canned, drained - 200 g
- onion - 0.5 piece
- garlic - 1 clove
- peas frozen - 80 g
- tomatoes - 2 piece
- banana - 1 piece
- cheese crumbly, e.g. feta or fresh cheese - 60 g
- oil neutral-tasting vegetable oil - 3 tablespoons
- salt - 0.75 teaspoon
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.25 teaspoon
- cilantro - 0.25 bunch
Preparation
- Finely dice the onion and finely chop the garlic. Drain the beans from their liquid and rinse under running water.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds more, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the beans, 2–3 tablespoons of water and half a teaspoon of salt. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring and lightly mashing the beans with a fork or masher until you get a thick paste. If it’s too dry, add a splash of water. Set aside.
- Dice the tomatoes finely. In another pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil, add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt, and fry for 4–5 minutes until they soften and release their juices, forming a simple sauce.
- Add the frozen peas to the tomato sauce and cook for another 3–4 minutes, until the peas are tender but still firm. Season with pepper and salt to taste.
- Peel the banana and cut it on the diagonal into slices about 1 cm thick. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pan over medium heat and fry the banana slices for 1–2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
- In a large pan, heat the remaining oil. Crack in the eggs and fry over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until the whites are fully set and the yolks remain runny or soft, depending on how you like them.
- Meanwhile, warm the tortillas in a dry pan for 20–30 seconds on each side, until soft and slightly warm.
- Spread a layer of bean paste on each tortilla and place a fried egg on top. Spoon some of the tomato and pea sauce over the egg.
- Sprinkle with crumbled cheese and arrange a few slices of fried banana around the sides. Sprinkle everything with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.
Storage
Store leftover components separately in the fridge: bean paste, tomato and pea sauce, and fried banana in airtight containers. Use within 1–2 days and reheat the beans and sauce gently in a pan; fry fresh eggs and warm new tortillas when serving again.
